Move by Ian Murray comes as Labour prepares introduction of new workplace rights for parents. Ian Murray, the Scottish secretary, has become the first cabinet minister to take full paternity leave as Labour prepares to roll out new workplace rights for parents.
Murray and his wife Mariam are expecting their second child in the next few weeks, and he will be taking two weeks off work next month, using existing legal rights to paternity leave. The couple already have a daughter, Zola, aged four, and Murray said he wanted to highlight the value and importance of paternal leave to other men and to employers.
“The biggest impediment to paternity leave is culture,” he said. “Taking that time off is hugely critical for a number of reasons: to be with them, to also bond with the child, and to take the pressure off mum. From a wider policy perspective, I think it’s really important for dads to know they can a) take it and b) the culture can change,” he said.
“And c), the government is behind dads and mums taking their appropriate leave to spend time with their family.”. The Scottish Labour party said his decision highlighted the UK government’s “new deal for workers” agenda, which aims to introduce new rights for parental leave from day one of someone’s employment, flexible working for both partners and bereavement leave.
